Former HGTV star headed to Tucson

Special to the Green Valley News

A fan favorite on the public-appearance circuit, interior designer and former host of HGTV’s “Designing for the Sexes” Michael Payne is coming to Tucson this month.

Payne hit the mark with his British charm and natural style endearing himself to audiences across the country during his six-year run on the show.

A celebrity interior and furniture designer, Payne will be introducing the Michael Payne Home Collection of sofas and sectionals by Lazar Industries and accessory tables and chairs by Johnston Casuals.

“It’s so pleasing to meet people who have these fond memories of the show,” he said. “I’m just beginning to realize the impact the show had on people’s lives.”

The premise of “Designing for the Sexes” centered on a couple who wanted a room redone but couldn’t agree on a style. She wanted this, he wanted that.

Enter the mediator/designer, who said, “I’m a great listener and a natural mediator. I empathized with each of the couple.”

Payne said often what the couple wanted was just awful, but he listened.

“In the end, what the couple wanted was truly what they got, it’s just processed through my design filter,” he said. “I filter out the ugliness and gave them what they wanted — and it was beautiful... Everything was explained, there were no surprises.”

Women were usually the voice of a couple, but Payne always asked the man how he felt, what he liked. He could mediate differences if he listened well enough.

Designing furniture

At his Feb. 28 appearance Payne will talk about his line of contemporary sofas and sectionals that are minimalistic in style and noted for their originality.

“Lazar gave me carte blanche. I created completely new designs and found beautiful fabrics; Lazar loved them and ran with it.”

The inspiration for the sofa, named Phaedra, came to Payne while in his favorite place — his garden.

“I folded a curved leaf on its spine and the design for Phaedra was born... Naming the different designs is a bit like naming a baby. “You look at it and a name seems to fit; I always loved the name Phaedra. It’s a sculptural object; it needs to be in a big space so you can look at it from every angle.”

Of the Zagato design, Payne said it looked like a “Z” and the sofa had to have a name beginning with “Z.” He refers to it as incredibly comfortable whether one is 6-foot-3 or 4-foot-11.

Asked what’s currently hot in design, Payne said, “There’s a focus on visually exciting fabrics that sparkle with threads running through giving off little glints of light. They’re reflective and metallic, beautiful, rich and sparkling.”

Mentoring young designers

Payne talks at design schools and colleges across the country. Students are motivated and contact him via e-mail.

“I’m totally accessible, totally approachable, totally me... I’m the same person off-camera as I am on camera.”

On Feb. 28, he’ll do about an hour presentation followed by a Q&A session. He’ll meet with guests and one lucky person will win a free design consultation with Payne.

Ellen Sussman is a freelance writer in Green Valley. Contact her at ellen2414@cox.net.

If you go

Where: Contents Interiors, 3401 E. Fort Lowell, at Dodge

When: 11 a.m. Feb. 28

Cost: Free